Uncategorized

  1. Math

    Prime Spirals

    Precisely defined yet enticingly elusive, prime numbers occupy a central place in number theory. Evenly divisible only by themselves and 1, these special integers–2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, and so on–pose all sorts of conundrums. In a square grid, numbering squares instead of line intersections serves as […]

    By Ivars Peterson
  2. Astronomy

    Sharper Images: New Hubble camera goes the distance

    Astronomers have unveiled a picture of the distant universe that ranks as the sharpest and most detailed ever recorded.

    By Ron Cowen
  3. Health & Medicine

    Cancer Link Cooks Up Doubt: Heating may form potential carcinogen in food

    Foods cooked at high temperatures contain large concentrations of acrylamide, a compound suspected to cause cancer in people, but researchers are cautious about acting on preliminary, unpublished data.